$1965,83

$725.50

289,50

This excess is accounted for, in part, by his having distributed in this year some books and tracts, which were collected in the former year; and in part by the expenditure of private property.

From the best view we have been able to take of the manner, in which Mr. O. has appropriated the public charity committed to his hands, we believe him to have been faithful, indefatigable, and successful; and that good, in a very extensive field, and where it is exceedingly needed has been effected. And we cannot but hope, while he, from a deep conviction of its utility, is devoting to this interesting object the prime of his life, not only without temporal reward, but even to the sacrifice of private prop erty, that a liberal and Christian public will continue to him their confidence and the means of accomplishing his benevolent design. The committee are satisfied in regard to his judgment and fidelity; and, in a plan entirely novel, for the benefit of the frontier of our extensive country and the British colonies, we esteem him competent by his experience to decide the best mode of his future operations.

July 11, 1812. JEDIDIAH MORSE, ABIEL ABBOT.

Committee.

Rev. JOSEPH EMERSON was also of this committee, but being absent on a journey, his name is not added to the above report.

do.

do.

750,00

$265,00

1679 00

1215 83

$463,17

as

In addition to the donations above stated, it may be proper to mention that I procured to be sub. scribed upwards of $500 towards republishing a number of useful books in Canada, to be paid when the books are delivered. This will indirectly promote the same object; for all the profits arising from the publications will be applied to charitable purpos es, and the books circulated in this way will be as useful as though they were distributed gratis.

From the best view, which I have been enabled to take of the missionary field through which I have been trayelling, I have good reason to believe, that my humble attempts to assist mỹ fellow men have been crowned with success. And I have greater cause of gratitude and thankfulness for the assistance obtained and the hospitality and friendship manifested towards me, during the last year, than in any former year. I have enjoyed the peculiar satisfaction, on my last journey, of reaping some of the fruits of my former labors. It is not a golden harvest of which I have been reaping, but it is what I consider more precious: And I wish the kind donors of the charities which I have scattered may partake with me. But this they cannot do perfectly, unless they were to travel on the frontiers, and in the new settlements, and to hear the little children repeat the hymns and portions of Scripture, which they enabled me to distribute

among the families of the destitute.

It may be gratifying to some to see a brief summary of my labors for the year past. From the time of my leaving Boston till my return was between eleven and twelve months; during which period I travelled up. wards of 3000 miles,delivered 232 discourses, visited 54 schools, and procured subscriptions towards 43 libraries. I organized one church, and baptised 28 subjects, 9 of whom are adults. I administered the ordinance of the Lord's supper twice, and admitted to the fellowship of different churches 26 persons. 1 also attended several funerals, and visited a great number of families, some of which I found laboring under diseases both of body and mind.

I have collected for charitable pur poses, as appears from the statement of the committee who have inspected my accounts, about two thousand dollars, in books and money, which I have distributed and am distributing to the best of my judgment.

I close my journal by rendering

sincere thanks to all who have been pleased to lend their aid, towards promoting the object in which I am engaged; hoping they may not become weary in well doing. For in due season they shall reup if they faint

not.

And seeing an extensive field already white unto harvest, I do sincerely pray the Lord of the harvest, that he would provide more ample means, and send forth more faithful laborers to gather in his precious

fruits.

As preparatory to the introduction of the millennial glory of the Church of Christ, when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, the minds of Christian people both in Europe and America, have recently been remarkably excited to the great and good object of evangelizing the world. Thousands and thousands of the friends of the Redeemer are now de

voting their talents, and contributing generously of their substance, to forward the glorious cause, and with very desirable success. But the work ertions of all the pious and benevois great, and calls for the united exlent throughout the Christian commonwealth. Numerous institutions have already been formed to aid in edifying and extending the kingdom of Christ in the earth, and multiplying the triumphs of grace among mankind. Nevertheless it is conceived, that all the requisite means, which exist within the reach of Christian people, and which the necessities of the case demand, are not yet put in operation; and that much still remains to be done, both at home and abroad, to effect the refor. mation and salvation of mankind up, on the plan of the Gospel. Therefore, without interfering with the objects and pursuits of any known existing society, we the subscribers, desirous of contributing our mite to the treas uries of the Lord, and acting in aid of the important and glorious cause of Christian knowledge and virtue, here. by associate for this purpose, and, for our future government and regula tion, give our assent to the following

CONSTITUTION.

I. This society shall be known and distinguished by the name of THE RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE SOCIETY IN THE COUNTY OF WORCESTERMassachusetts.

II. The combined objects of this society shall be the following, viz.

1st, To aid indigent young men of piety and talents, in the acquisition of a suitable education, with a view to the Christian ministry: 2d. To afford pecuniary aid to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign mis. sions: 31, To assist feeble churches aud societies in maintaining among them the preaching and institutions of the Gospel.

III. Every person, male or female, who shall subscribe to this constitution, and engage to pay to the treasurer of this society a certain sum annually, which shall not be less than one dollar, shall be a member of this society: and any person paying thirty dollars or more, at any one time, shall be a member for life. No person, however, but males of twenty one years old shall be eligible to any office in the society, or enjoy the privilege of voting in any of its transactions. And every member shall have a right to withdraw his or her name from the society, by giving one year's notice, and paying all arrearages, or to enlarge or diminish his or her subscription at pleasure, provided it be not reduced to less than one dollar annually.

IV. Every member of the society shall enjoy the privilege of subscrib. ing or giving to the aid of any one or more of the combined objects, mentioned in the second article of this Constitution, as inclination or a sense of duty shall dictate. And every subscription or donation shall be faith fully and sacredly applied to the particular object or objects designated by the subscriber or donor: and all monies, not thus particularly appropriated, shall be considered as left to the discretionary disposal of the Board of Directors hereafter named.

V. The society shall be composed of branches formed in any town or parish of the county, and each branch shall choose its own officers, adopt its own rules, and enjoy the privilege of sending one delegate, for every five male members above twenty-one years of age, to the general meeting of the society, which delegation, to. gether with the several officers, shall transact the business of the society at any such meeting.

VI, The Treasurer, Collector, or

Receiver of each Branch shall transmit to the general Treasurer of this Society the annual subscription of the members of the branch, together with their names, and also all the monies, or other property he may receive by donation or otherwise, for the use of the society, at or before the general meeting of the society hereafter mentioned.

VII. The society, by a delegation from the several branches, together with its several officers, shall hold an annual meeting, at some convenient place previously appointed by the society, on the third Wednesday of September, at 10 o'clock, A. M. on which day a public discourse shall be delivered, the several officers of the society chosen by ballot, to serve for one year, and until others be chosen in their room, and the general and necessary business of the society transacted.

VIII. The officers of the society shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor, and a Board of Directors consisting of nine members, four of whom at least shall be ministers of the Gospel; to which Board, the President, Secre tary and Treasurer shall belong by virtue of their office; and any five of said Board shall constitute a quorum for doing business.

The duty of the President, and, in his absence, of the Vice President, shall be to preside at all meetings of the society, and to call special meet. ings of the society, if necessary, at the request of the Board of Direc

tors.

The duty of the Secretary shall be to keep a fair record of all the transactions of the society, and of the Board of Directors-Of the Treasur er to receive, and safely keep all the monies and other property of the society, and dispose of the same as hereafter ordered-And of the Auditor to examine and report the state of the treasury at the annual meeting.

The duty of the Board of Directors shall be to take charge of, and manage, all the prudential concerns of the society, to determine the proper objects of the society's charity, and to what amount, to direct the studies of those who are looking forward to

the ministry, and may apply for aid, to take bonds of those whom they may assist, to refund the appropria tions made to them, should they af terwards prove immoral, forsake the ministry, or abandon the faith of the primitive churches of New England, of which said Board shall be the proper judges, and, in general, to manage all the public concerns of the society faithfully, and according to the best of their wisdom, prudence and discretion: and no monies shall be drawn from the treasury but by their order, signed by the President, or be applied to any object but under their direction.

IX Whatever monies may be given for the use of foreign missions shall be paid over to the treasurer of that Board within thirty days after the annual meeting of this society, and whatever may be given for the assistance of feeble churches and societies, shall be appropriated within ninety days after said meeting.

X. This society shall ever hold itself in readiness to correspond or act in concert with other societies of a similar nature, or to become a branch of any more general society, which may hereafter be formed in New England, having the same gen eral objects in view, and designing to advance strict evangelical doctrine and experimental religion.

XI. This constitution shall be subject to any amendments or alterations by the concurrence of two thirds of the members present at any annual meeting: provided such amendments or alterations be proposed to the so. ciety in writing at the preceding annual meeting.

ADDRESS TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC.

- Christian Brethren, THE period has arrived when extra. ordinary exertions are to be made, and a more diffusive and liberal Charity is to be practised in behalf of the Zion which our Savior, Jesus Christ, hath bought with his blood, Chris. tians must lose sight of the decorations of life, and abstain from every measure and species of luxury, that

1

they may lay up in store as much as they can possibly gather, to minister, as the various calls of Providence may be, to the spread of the knowledge of the Redeemer's name through the earth. They must spurn with abhorrence every suggestion of a narrow, sparing selfishness. They must come forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty, with all the talents they possess, with all the influence they have over the minds of others, and with their silver and gold. They must say to the young apostles, whom the Lord of the har vest is sending forth to the remote and unsubdued part of his inheritance, Go, ye messengers of salvation, ye heralds of the Gospel of the bles sed God, and preach the glad tidings of salvation to those who sit in the region and shadow of death, to the wretched, blinded, self-immolating victims of an idolatrous superstition; go to extend the boundaries, and to spread the triumphs of the kingdom of Jesus; go, supported by our benefactions, and consoled with the reflection that our brotherly love and best wishes attend you.

The excitement to benevolent effort, which has, within a few years, gone through the Christian world, is extraordinary, but far from us be the thought that it has risen to its acme. Christians are but beginning to awake. They bestow but a wavering and diffident attention up. on the fulfilment of prophecy. They see but very indistinctly the ensign which is lifted up upon the mountains, and hear, as an uncertain sound, that trumpet which announces the approach of the Gospel-Jubilee. Their pious sensibilities do some honor to the cause they have espoused; but their hearts are, as yet, compared with what they should be, as hard as a rock. They must be all feeling. They must be absorbed in the one genuine principle of love. They must act according to the letter of the apostolic resolution, "I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Their liberalities have been greater than have heretofore been witnessed. But they must be in creased, till all the property we cap

spare from necessary uses, be brought into action to subserve the purpose of redeeming grace.

are

The Society which now offers itself to your attention, is a fruit of that general excitement which has given rise to so many societes of a kindred nature in Europe and in America. Like them, it is wholly charitable, and religiously so. It has the same grand design in view, and means to move in most friendly agreement with them The three particular objects which it em ›races terminate in this design, and thought to be, each of them, highly important One of them is to give aid to pious young men, in indigent circumstances, whose minds have an inclination to the Gospel ministry, and who are possessed of promising talents, that they may be introduced to it in a proper manner, that is, by an indispensable preparatory education. The grace of God is offering to us a number of such young men, and many more will be formed and presented by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit Many of them will be wanted in the vast field of missionary labor: many of them as Pastors in the new Churches which the hand of the Redeemer is planting, and will continue to plant, in the new settlements of our country. These Churches must be furnished with Pastors after God's own heart, who shall feed them with knowledge and understanding. Many of them will be wanted to stand in the places of those Pastors whom death has removed from the Church militant to the Church trimplant, and of those who, in succession, will follow them. Brethren, we have but to mention this object to excite your good dis positions towards the society.

Another object is to furnish a permanent auxiliary contribution to sup. port the Inlia mission, which is in the care of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, by whom the Christian public has been recently addressed. To the copions elucidations and correct statements of this Address you are refer red, for a knowledge of the ground they propose to occupy, and for just views of the magnitude of the good

It

they aim to effect. This mission will undoubtedly be enlarged. will be expensive. And its support must be secured from permanent sources. The other object of this society is to afford pecuniary aid tọ Churches, who may have waxen small in number, and feeble in regard to the means of supporting a Pastor. In consequence of the spread of infidelity and heresy, and an odious indifferency to the institutions of religion, narrowing the hearts of men, and making them unwilling to do any thing for its support, many such Churches exist. And their number will probably be increased. The members of these Churches, with the serious part of the Congregations attached to them, would do as much

as

their temporal circumstances would be thought, by candid persons, to admit. But they cannot do so much as to afford a comfortable sup. port to a pastor, and defray the contingent expenses indispensable to the maintainance of public worship. Could this support be partly furnish. ed from a charitable fund, a light, diffusing a gladdening lustre, might stand in their candlestick, and the appointed means for the salvation of men be in operation, which would other ways be withdrawn. Pitiable indeed is the condition of those members of the spiritual family, who are deprived of the blessings of a kind and faithful Pastor, of public worship, and of the ordinances which our Lord has provided to strengthen, the faith and increase the comfort of his people, They are as sheep scattered upon barren and desolate mountains, which no man careth for. And while we extend a benevolent concern to the heathen of distant countries, we should by no means lose sight of the perishing and needy condition of the multitude of unbelievers, with whom we are connected in civil society, and by neighborly intercourse,

Christian brethren, we must presume that your hearts are alive to the great interest to advance which angels are ministertng spirits, and the Son of God humbled himself to the tears of the garden, and the anguish of the

cross.

We invite your attention to this Society. We ask you to take